Layering Skincare: 6 Simple Steps
Daily Beauty: Glowing skin is always in
By Zaryab Akram Khan
6 Simple Steps To Layering Your Skincare
Browsing any skincare website, or even your own bathroom vanity can be overwhelming.”Do I really need all of these products for Daily Beauty? If so, does it matter which ones I put on my face first?” The order we layer our skincare can seem complicated, but it’s really very simple.
The first thing to remember to create beauty is that the most effective skincare routine is usually the simplest. Your goal is not to use as many products as possible, but to maximize the benefits of what you use. Choose products that are formulated to address your unique and specific skincare concerns.
Why should you care about the order you layer your skincare products in?
Let’s get scientific for a moment. Different skincare ingredients have different molecular weights. For example, sodium hyaluronate molecules are much smaller than the molecules in your skin oil. Layering them in the right order makes sure that the lighter-weight ingredients can penetrate the deeper layers of your skin, helping them do their best work!
Not every step is necessary every time, but the steps you use should go in the following order.
Remove Your Makeup
This is the first and most important step! No skincare will be as effective if it has to try and get through the barrier of makeup.
Cleansing your face without first removing your makeup only does half the job, so it is best to get a dedicated remover.
You can cleanse your face with an oil-based, water-based cleanser, or both! Using both is known as double cleansing. Because dirt can be either oil soluble or water soluble, double cleansing can be a very effective way to remove all dirt and debris, leaving your skin a fresh canvas ready for treatments!
The point of toning is to return the PH of your skin to a balanced level after cleansing, but because some cleansers contain toner, this step isn’t always needed.
This is the step that can be overwhelming because there are so many different treatments! A good rule of thumb when applying your serums is to start with the thinner, faster absorbing formulas first, moving to the thicker formulas. This allows the ingredients that need to work at a deeper level to get where they need to go.
Note: Allow each product to set on your skin for at least 30 seconds before layering on the next one.
A word of warning, while most ingredients work well together, a small number of combinations should be avoided:
- Vitamin C and AHA’s: They can be an irritating combo that can make your skin more sensitive to the sun)
- Vitamin C and Benzoyl Peroxide: Benzoyl Peroxide oxidizes vitamin C and renders it useless.
- Benzoyl Peroxide and Retinol: They don’t like each other and are rendered useless when used together.
Keeping your skin well hydrated is one of the most important steps of a basic skincare routine, and should not be overlooked. If it’s part of your daytime routine, this should be a lighter moisturizer, which is still heavier than the serums you use beforehand.
Sunscreen is the first line of defense in protecting your skin from the elements, and as such should be applied as the final step in your daytime skincare routine! It’s the most important step in your routine, besides removing your makeup.
Your skincare routine is deeply personal, and as long as you are using products that are good for your skin, you are doing well! By layering them in the basic order of thinnest to richest, and sealing it all with sunscreen, you can be assured that you will enjoy its maximum benefits!
●Remove Makeup ●Cleanse ●Treat ●Moisturize ●Protect
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